Track belt



Patented Sept. 9, 1924.A

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFl'cE.

EDWIN E. SAVAGE, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO TBE CLEVELAND TRACTOR COMPANY, 0F EUCLU), OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

TRACK BELT.

Application led July 11, 1922. Serial lim-574,243.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known 'that I, `EDWIN H. SAVAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland in the county of Cuyahoga and State of hio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Track Belts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to track belts for track-laying tractors and 'more particularly to the manner in which the hinge pin connecting the adjoining track units is secured.

An object of this invention is to provide a locking device for securing a pin with a track belt unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a locking device for a pin, which is enclosed Within the sides of the rail members of a track belt unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide locking means for the pin 'of a track belt` which can be readily inserted and removed from the belt.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of two units hinged together showing the connecting pin locked in position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3 3, of Fig. 2.

The endless track belt is made up of a plurality of like units pivoted together, and in the accompanying drawing I show a track unit comprising spaced webs or rail members 10 and a shoe 11, the two being preferably, of cast construction and formed integral. The rails extend longitudinally of the shoe and have an upper flange 12 forming a rail head to receive and support the roller mechanismv of a tracklaying tractor. The rails are recessed on their inner sides at one end` as shown at 13, and at their outer sides at the opposite end, as shown at 14, thereby forming respective male and female endsfor the adjacent links which lit one within the other.

Circular apertures 15 are provided in the male ends of the rails 10 and a hollow cylindrical bushing 16 is pressed into fixed position therein. The female ends of the rails 10 have smaller apertures 17 forming journals to receive a hinge pin 18, which pin also extends through the bushing 16 of the adjacent link when the units are connected. A roller 19 is carried loosely on the bushing 16 and it will be understood, constitutes withthe bushinor a bearing to be engaged by the teeth of the driving sprocket-wheel of the tractor. The flanges 12 form a wide, even track surface for the rollers, which support the tractor to roll on. The rails are preferably provided with openings 20 in their body portions for the escape of mud and dirt, which will be forced out by the.

teeth of the driving sprocket Wheel.

T he hinge pins 18 are of such length that their ends will/be flush with the outer sides of the rails. Transverse grooves 21 are provided in` each end of the pins 18 and extend at an angle therein.

An opening 22 extends verticallythrough each rail, from the lower portion of the apertures 17 and through the bottom of the shoe. When the adjacent units are connected together by the hinge pin, the grooves at the ends thereof are positioned to extend over the vertical openings 22 in the rails and a straight. metal key 23, of soft material, is driven into each opening and groove. The end of the key as it' enters the angular grooves in the pin will assume the angle of the groove, and thereby prevent 'the pin from becoming displaced or rotating relative to the unit with which it is so locked. The keys when in this position lie within the vertical openings in the side bars`and the grooves in the ends of the pin,lwhereby the locking means for the pin is completely enclosed and the outer face of the rail members present an even uninterrupted surface.

Various changes in construction and arrangement of parts may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

Having describedmy invention, what I claim is:

1. An endless track beltmade up of a plurality of connected units, each of said units comprising rails and a shoe cast integrally together, said rails having aligned apertures through each end of the walls thereof and verticall openings eir'tending through that portion below the apertures at one end thereof and through said shoe, a hinge pin extending through the apertures in the adjacent ends of the rails of said`units, and locking means carried within the vertical said pin.

2. An endless track belt comprising a plurality of pivotally connected units, each of said units including rails and a shoe, said rails having aligned apertures extending 5 horizontally through each end thereof and openings in one end thereof extending from the horizontal apertures, hinge pins extending through the horizontal apertures in the ends of the rails of adjacent units, said pins having a groove in each erfd face thereof adapted to be placed in open communica tion with the opening in said rails, and keys extending in the opening in said rails and in the grooves in said pins for locking said pins in non-rotative position with said rails.

A3. An endless track belt comprising a plurality of pivotally connected units, each of said units includmg rails and a shoe, said rails having horizontal 'aligned apertures extending through each end thereof and vertical openings in one end thereof extending from' the apertures throu h said shoe, hinge pins extending through t e horizontal apertures in the ends of the rails of adjacent units, said pins having grooves extending Vinwardly fromthe end faces thereof adapted to be positioned in open communication with the vertical openings in said rail members, and keys adapted to be positogether,

tioned in the vertical openings in said rails andy the grooves in said pins.

4. An endless track belt comprising a plurality of pivotally connected units, each of said units including rails and a shoe secured said rails having aligned apertures extending horizontally through each end thereof and vertical openings therein extending from the a rtures through said shoe, hinge pins exten ing through the horizontal apertures in the ends of adjacent rails, said pins being of such len h thatt the ends thereof are enclosed by t e outer walls of said rails, said pins having grooves extending inwardly obliquely from the end faces thereof, the inner ends of said grooves being adapted to be positioned in open communlcation with the vertical openings in said rails, and removable keys extending in y the angular passage formed by the vertical openings in said rails and the grooves in' the ends of said pins, said keys being driven into locking position throughthe grooves in the ends of said pins and being removable throu h the vertical openings in said rails and oe.

In testimony whereof,

I hereunto aix. my signature.

EDWIN H. SAVAGE. 

